Mayhew and Lewand fired!

[hardyaf 62]

If you were interviewing a candidate for GM what is one question you would ask them in the interview?

Mine: What creates sustained success in today's NFL and how does an organization achieve it?

How do you plan to utilize modern technology and data capabilities to make decisions and provide feedback. What is lacking from the databases you have used in the past, and how would you assemble a team to ensure that you always have a competitive edge on the competition.

[sabretooth 247]

You're making it seem like she is a building a space rocket and the Lions new home will be on Mars. All she has to do is hire one competent person who then builds the rest. You're take isn't surprising though.

I've been saying this for years, but you always assured me that Mayhew was already that guy. Not surprising that you would make it seem so easy.

[sabretooth 247]

I think it's unfair to assume that Martha Ford will continue the incompetence of Bill Sr and Jr just because she's an old woman named Ford. In one day she's already shown more urgency and accountability than Bill Sr. ever did. Whacking the front office is the only thing she could do at this point, and she did it. She also blocked the son who gave us Matt Millen from having anything more to do with the coming overhaul of the team. So every decision that she could make to this point has been solid, IMO. Could she screw up the GM hire? Sure, but I feel better about her ability to get it right today than I did two days ago. This doesn't feel like SOL at the moment

I think it's fair to evaluate people based on their track record and apparent capacity.

Mrs. Ford's track record is limited to (a) having been married to Sr for a long time and (b) firing Mayhew and Lewand. Lions fans should be happy that she fired them, that needed to happen. But firing folks doesn't = success.

You think it's unfair to assume that she's not up to the task (and BTW I have said nothing about her being a woman, I have brought the elderly and historically successful Mike Ilitch into the comparison to demonstrate that I think advanced age makes it very difficult to be an engaged and successful owner, to say nothing of her total lack of relevant experience running a sports franchise). I think it's unrealistic to assume that she's going to hire the right person for the job.

That is NOT to say that she CAN'T, just that if it were as easy as T/P suggests to hire the right person, Sr. would have done it at some point over the last 50 years.

Obviously the wrong people are hired a fair amount in sports, and by owners with a lot more relevant experience than Mrs. Ford.

I'm assuming that she'll hire someone who die-hard Lions fans will feel is the "right guy", but it probably won't be a grand slam hire.

....and unless it is a grand-slam hire, I'm going to continue to assume that they will fail more often than not.

[number20 77]

If you were interviewing a candidate for GM what is one question you would ask them in the interview?

Mine: What creates sustained success in today's NFL and how does an organization achieve it?

Mine... when I interview candidates Tater I tend to avoid hypothetical questions about what they would or wouldn't do, what they think, or how they'd define something (too easy for someone to talk their way into a job). I like asking about what they've done. Yours is great – I'd just restate it: Tell me about what you've done to sustain success in today's NFL, and how did your organization achieve it? They have no choice but to give me real tangible evidence of past performance, not fluff. In other words, why the f--- should I hire you? What the f--- have you ever done in the NFL? Tell me why should I even listen to your dumb ***, you f---?*

*"Lionized" interviewer

[Oblong 2,058]

Face it. In our lifetimes the Lions have had two owners. Bill Ford Sr and now Martha. Nobody else made the decisions. So all this talk about "ford family" is still nonsense. We know as much about Martha potential as we do any other potential owner.

[sabretooth 247]

Face it. In our lifetimes the Lions have had two owners. Bill Ford Sr and now Martha. Nobody else made the decisions. So all this talk about "ford family" is still nonsense. We know as much about Martha potential as we do any other potential owner.

Why is the talk of the "ford family" "nonsense"?

Isn't it accepted as fact that Jr. had a hand in hiring Millen? Don't the reports now suggest that some of Martha's children are getting involved?

I'm not assuming anything about their involvement one way or another...but it seems reasonable (not "nonsense" as you suggest) to think that some of them will be involved.

[sagnam 55]

Why is the talk of the "ford family" "nonsense"?

Isn't it accepted as fact that Jr. had a hand in hiring Millen? Don't the reports now suggest that some of Martha's children are getting involved?

I'm not assuming anything about their involvement one way or another...but it seems reasonable (not "nonsense" as you suggest) to think that some of them will be involved.

Lewand’s departure underscores Bill Ford’s lack of influence over Lions

[sabretooth 247]

Lewand’s departure underscores Bill Ford’s lack of influence over Lions

Sounds like the author knows about as much as we do about the inner workings of the Ford family. Which is to say, not much.

[Oblong 2,058]

Why is the talk of the "ford family" "nonsense"?

Isn't it accepted as fact that Jr. had a hand in hiring Millen? Don't the reports now suggest that some of Martha's children are getting involved?

I'm not assuming anything about their involvement one way or another...but it seems reasonable (not "nonsense" as you suggest) to think that some of them will be involved.

I'm talking in terms of people saying things like "Well the Ford family is still involved....." That's the nonsense. Then I laugh at the, I assume serious, suggestions that he should hire Alan Mulally. Like you can compare running a global manfucaturing company with tens of thousands of employees to a franchise that's 1 of 30 in a business that basically prints moneh.

[sabretooth 247]

I'm talking in terms of people saying things like "Well the Ford family is still involved....." That's the nonsense. Then I laugh at the, I assume serious, suggestions that he should hire Alan Mulally. Like you can compare running a global manfucaturing company with tens of thousands of employees to a franchise that's 1 of 30 in a business that basically prints moneh.

I think it would make perfect sense for Martha to hire someone from outside of the sports industry to head up the executive search, and maybe even to stay around as President/COO. Mullaly isn't going to happen, of course, but I am quite sure that someone of Mullaly's talent/intelligence would be at least as capable as anybody currently involved in the process of hiring a good football guy as GM.

[Oblong 2,058]

I don't think the organizational structure is that complicated. They are basically part of a monopoly and the failures they have are simply finding football talent and managing the cap. It's not rocket science. That's not to say it's easy or that I could do it but I suspect an average NFL personnel guy could do it. The league is set up that way. I don't think they're doing anything much different than other clubs just making bad choices. They don't need someone to teach them how to run the business they need someone to pick better players and coaches. This isn't a corporate turnaround situation.

[Oblong 2,058]

I would say my overall point is it bugs me when fans and media members, especially the media, try to make parallels between corporate America and a sports franchise. Especially an NFL franchise. Those are very unique businesses. I don't put much faith in anything Bill Ford Jr did because given his other job that carried much more responsibility and as such I doubt he gave the lions much attention. The fate of a few hundred thousand people as well as personal fortunes of his extended family outweighs a football game. His invilvement was probably minimal.

[Mr.TaterSalad 369]

Mine... when I interview candidates Tater I tend to avoid hypothetical questions about what they would or wouldn't do, what they think, or how they'd define something (too easy for someone to talk their way into a job). I like asking about what they've done. Yours is great – I'd just restate it: Tell me about what you've done to sustain success in today's NFL, and how did your organization achieve it? They have no choice but to give me real tangible evidence of past performance, not fluff. In other words, why the f--- should I hire you? What the f--- have you ever done in the NFL? Tell me why should I even listen to your dumb ***, you f---?*

*"Lionized" interviewer

I like your re-phrase better as it makes them talk about what they've actually done as oppose to given open-ended hypothetical statements and what-ifs.

[Mr.TaterSalad 369]

I would say my overall point is it bugs me when fans and media members, especially the media, try to make parallels between corporate America and a sports franchise. Especially an NFL franchise. Those are very unique businesses. I don't put much faith in anything Bill Ford Jr did because given his other job that carried much more responsibility and as such I doubt he gave the lions much attention. The fate of a few hundred thousand people as well as personal fortunes of his extended family outweighs a football game. His invilvement was probably minimal.

It's funny you mention that because on my ride home from work Wojo & Jamie on 97.1 were talking about how they both think that former FoMoCo CEO Alan Mullay would be a good choice to help oversee the process of finding a new GM, given his success in the private sector.

[Oblong 2,058]

It's funny you mention that because on my ride home from work Wojo & Jamie on 97.1 were talking about how they both think that former FoMoCo CEO Alan Mullay would be a good choice to help oversee the process of finding a new GM, given his success in the private sector.

I think Drew Sharp also made a similar point in the paper. It's ridiculous. For one the skills Mulally had may not even be applicable because we're not talking about a large organization. How many employees do the Lions have, besides players, coaches, and staff associated with them like trainers? A few hundred, at most? I bet it's not even that high. I live a mile from their team HQ and outside of the field house it's not that large. The team's not failing on the field because they have the wrong guy managing their IT or Sales department. It's not failing because of a bloated beauracracy or corporate infighting between executives or too much attention paid to other brands across the globe.

This is very small potatoes for a guy like him.

Speaking of Mulally..... go read American Icon. It's the greatest business book you'll ever read. Fascinating.

[holygoat 135]

I think it's fair to evaluate people based on their track record and apparent capacity.

Mrs. Ford's track record is limited to (a) having been married to Sr for a long time and (b) firing Mayhew and Lewand. Lions fans should be happy that she fired them, that needed to happen. But firing folks doesn't = success.

You think it's unfair to assume that she's not up to the task (and BTW I have said nothing about her being a woman, I have brought the elderly and historically successful Mike Ilitch into the comparison to demonstrate that I think advanced age makes it very difficult to be an engaged and successful owner, to say nothing of her total lack of relevant experience running a sports franchise). I think it's unrealistic to assume that she's going to hire the right person for the job.

That is NOT to say that she CAN'T, just that if it were as easy as T/P suggests to hire the right person, Sr. would have done it at some point over the last 50 years.

Obviously the wrong people are hired a fair amount in sports, and by owners with a lot more relevant experience than Mrs. Ford.

I'm assuming that she'll hire someone who die-hard Lions fans will feel is the "right guy", but it probably won't be a grand slam hire.

....and unless it is a grand-slam hire, I'm going to continue to assume that they will fail more often than not.

I think I see the problem here. You've apparently assumed that I was addressing you personally. I assure you I wasn't.

There are several posts along the lines of "Whatever, I expect them to name Millen GM and Jim Schwartz HC, because that's what the Ford family does." No, that's what Bill Sr. and Jr. did.

I've also seen more than one like, "she's a 90 year old woman.What the hell does she know about NFL football?" Hell if I know, but I'm not gonna just assume that she's incapable of hiring the right leadership for her NFL team just because she's a 90 year old woman.

The only thing I have to base an opinion of Martha Ford on is what she has actually done, and what she did in axing Lewand and Mayhew mid-season is the exact opposite of what Bill Sr. or Jr. would have done, and that's a point in her favor.

[hardyaf 62]

Do people here actually think Martha Ford is making any decisions regarding this team? I know she is giving a public persona that she is, but if she is in charge of the hiring the GM directly, yes I absolutely have no faith in her ability to choose the correct one. The reason is simple. She was born in 1925. She was likely 65 years old by the time there was a computer in her home. Actually, its plausible because of how old she was when the computer was invented that she has NEVER owned a computer. It's also likely she has never used a spreadsheet. Never been on the internet. Why would I possibly trust someone like that to make an optimal hire in today's world?

The best case scenario is she is a smart woman, and she has a much younger person who she trusts very much (possibly one of her children, possibly not) who makes decisions while she is a figure head. The difference between smart people and stupid people is smart people are aware of what they don't know. I hope she is a smart person and has removed herself from the equation already.

[DukeCityRadical 10]

I've been absent for some time now b/c this team has been breaking my heart. I was abysmally wrong about this season and team, and I have no problem owning that, or being teased for it. This news is the first thing that has made me feel better about this team in a while. I think Mayhew did some things well, but it's impossible to make the case that anyone deserved to stay at this point, particularly after the London game. I remember how the Lions fans I knew back in the day used to complain that the team was always motivated to do just enough to keep Fontes from being fired, and we needed a new coach to motivate them to do more than just that. The team that showed up in London was clearly not concerned about saving the jobs of anyone above them, their protestations to the contrary notwithstanding. This team has regressed so far since last season... it's kinda hard to believe. And my worst fears were confirmed by Caldwell in London, when he said that things were going ok at the half (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and had that puzzled look on his face in the 3rd quarter that I remember so well from the Colts season that got him fired.

We needed this. We probably need a lot more than this. I don't pretend to know how to fix what's broken, but it was abundantly clear that no one in the organization knew either. Mrs. Ford made the proper and only decision. I don't know how this will play out, but it's nice to see that the owner is also upset with how things have been going and isn't scared to pull the trigger. I now feel hope, and will watch the rest of the season to see who still wants to be here.

And please, no Josh McDaniels, in any capacity. The man traded up to take Tebow in the first round. Some things simply can't be forgotten, or forgiven. He was taking the Broncos into a very dark place, and they fired him just in time.

[mtutiger 2,072]

Reading some of the hot takes of this move makes me think that the Ford family has a Ewing-like quality to it.

[sabretooth 247]

I think I see the problem here. You've apparently assumed that I was addressing you personally. I assure you I wasn't.

There are several posts along the lines of "Whatever, I expect them to name Millen GM and Jim Schwartz HC, because that's what the Ford family does." No, that's what Bill Sr. and Jr. did.

I've also seen more than one like, "she's a 90 year old woman.What the hell does she know about NFL football?" Hell if I know, but I'm not gonna just assume that she's incapable of hiring the right leadership for her NFL team just because she's a 90 year old woman.

The only thing I have to base an opinion of Martha Ford on is what she has actually done, and what she did in axing Lewand and Mayhew mid-season is the exact opposite of what Bill Sr. or Jr. would have done, and that's a point in her favor.

Don't disagree at all.

[Jason_R 162]

Do people here actually think Martha Ford is making any decisions regarding this team? I know she is giving a public persona that she is, but if she is in charge of the hiring the GM directly, yes I absolutely have no faith in her ability to choose the correct one. The reason is simple. She was born in 1925. She was likely 65 years old by the time there was a computer in her home. Actually, its plausible because of how old she was when the computer was invented that she has NEVER owned a computer. It's also likely she has never used a spreadsheet. Never been on the internet. Why would I possibly trust someone like that to make an optimal hire in today's world?

The best case scenario is she is a smart woman, and she has a much younger person who she trusts very much (possibly one of her children, possibly not) who makes decisions while she is a figure head. The difference between smart people and stupid people is smart people are aware of what they don't know. I hope she is a smart person and has removed herself from the equation already.

Doesn't know how to use a spreadsheet, ergo can't assemble a search for an NFL executive. Got it.

Lions fans are an odd bunch. The Mrs. Ford fires two executives (and probably three coaches) in the biggest bloodletting this franchise, and Detroit sports, has ever seen...

...and they complain about her speculated inability to use the Internet.

[Truth 10]

Doesn't know how to use a spreadsheet, ergo can't assemble a search for an NFL executive. Got it.

Lions fans are an odd bunch. The Mrs. Ford fires two executives (and probably three coaches) in the biggest bloodletting this franchise, and Detroit sports, has ever seen...

...and they complain about her speculated inability to use the Internet.

I was thinking the same thing. The woman just made the most un-Lion like move we've ever seen. She showed us that she's not messing with the margins.

[cruzer1 176]

The Lions don't need just a GM, but a president, too. They have some range to offer multiple people different titles, or one person multiple titles. I would prefer a strong president in charge.

[Jason_R 162]

The Lions don't need just a GM, but a president, too. They have some range to offer multiple people different titles, or one person multiple titles. I would prefer a strong president in charge.

Yes. Who is the Dave Dombrowski of the NFL?

[hardyaf 62]

Doesn't know how to use a spreadsheet, ergo can't assemble a search for an NFL executive. Got it.

Lions fans are an odd bunch. The Mrs. Ford fires two executives (and probably three coaches) in the biggest bloodletting this franchise, and Detroit sports, has ever seen...

...and they complain about her speculated inability to use the Internet.

Seems like you missed the point of what I was saying. I wasn't complaining at all. I was merely stating it is unlikely that she is making the decisions (Or hopefully unlikely she is picking the next GM). She is probably just a figurehead. See my second paragraph.

Edited November 7, 2015 by hardyaf